1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for winding reels of material onto a core. More particularly, the present invention relates to an assembly for the winding of defined lengths of webs onto a resilient core adapted for engagement onto and removal from a mandrel. The invention is particularly useful in the manufacture of labels in the printing industry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacturing of labels, after printing, it is necessary to rewind reels of label-carrying webs bearing large quantities of labels onto smaller rolls of accurate and defined quantities of labels. In actual manufacture, it requires about twice as much time and accompanying manpower to rewind the labels as to accomplish the original manufacture or printing of the labels.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transferring large reels of labels onto small rolls or cores with excellent accuracy (i.e., a specified number of labels per roll) and with less than one-fourth (1/4) the manpower required for the current label rewinding process.
The invented label auto-transfer turret rewind apparatus is basically a rotatable base plate having a plurality of protruding mandrels or spindles, each spindle adapted to receive and rotate a take-up spool, which spindles are journaled for rotation in the base. Each spindle is powered by a drive mechanism on the reverse side of the rotatable base plate. A counter controls a cut-off mechanism for accurately placing the correct number of labels on each spool. In addition, a warning system provides an audible signal when a filled spool is not removed by the time the spindle rotates to a specified indexed position. The entire apparatus is controlled by a programmable controller. As used herein, the term "programmable controller" means an electric or electronic device (e.g., a computer) for governing in some programmable and predetermined way the power delivered to an ancillary device.
Applicant is aware of the following U. S. Patents concerning winding machines.
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Title ______________________________________ 3,930,620 Taitel TURRET REWINDER 3,734,423 Kataoka METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PRODUCING SMALL DISPENSING ROLLS OF SHEET 4,692,196 Ellegood et al. APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WRAPPING AN EXTERNAL TAPE SUPPORT ABOUT A FILTER ELEMENT ASSEMBLY 3,800,743 Egnaczak MATERIALS APPLICATION APPARATUS 3,303,814 Nitchie APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE TO A MOVING WEB 3,848,824 Van Schijndel FOIL COILING MACHINE 4,055,313 Yamaguchi APPARATUS FOR EXCHANGING REWOUND ROLLS IN A ROLL SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE 4,596,505 Seelinger AUTOMATIC LOADER/ UNLOADER FOR SLITTER 4,518,126 Marshall TAKE-UP MECHANISM 4,651,865 Kupper DEVICE FOR UNLOADING A COIL 4,416,426 Cooper WEB TREATMENT APPARATUS 1,040,188 Gray AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE 1,484,842 Nichols SLITTING AND REWINDING MACHINE ______________________________________
Taitel teaches a five spindle turret rewinder wherein the turret is driven in steps so that each spindle successively dwells in each of five stations.
Kataoka teaches a method of and an apparatus for continuously producing small dispensing rolls of sheet in strips of small thickness, of such material as paper, film of synthetic resin, wafer, aluminum foil or the like, each roll including a required amount of such sheet of small thickness wound on a core.
Ellegood et al. teaches an automatic wrapping apparatus for wrapping an external tape support about a filter element and includes an indexable turret assembly having a plurality of filter element clamps rotatably mounted at spaced radial positions on the indexable turret.
Egnaczak teaches an apparatus for coating materials onto a surface comprising a housing pivotally connected to a carriage, a chamber and applicator within the housing.
Nitchie relates to an apparatus for applying a thin coating to a moving sheet and more particularly to apparatus for applying a thin film of adhesive to a continuously moving web of paperboard.
Van Schijndel teaches a foil coiling apparatus which is described wherein a plurality of pairs of spindles are mounted upon a rotating member and moved to four successive stations including an in-feed station for cores to be gripped by the spindles, an inspection station, and two coiling stations.
Yamaguchi shows a longitudinal slitter and rewinder, which cuts a wide web into a plurality of narrow webs, and winds them onto a plurality of rolls.
Seelinger teaches a longitudinal web slitter, and also teaches two pairs of turret-type spindles 20, 21, 22, 23.
Marshall shows a winding take-up mechanism for controlling strands or webs on tubes.
Kupper shows multiple mandrels, but these are for textile threads. The mandrels appear to be individually driven.
Cooper shows a rotatable turret with four mandrels which index to various positions.
Gray shows an automatic winding apparatus with multiple spindles from an earlier era.
Nichols teaches another rewind apparatus, including the slitting function.
Each of the patents discussed above relate generally to rewinding devices, but differ both in structure and operation from the present invention.
Applicant is unaware of any prior art that accomplishes the objectives of the present invention. Consequently, a need exists for a turret rewind assembly for automatically transferring webs of material onto a core.